Announcements

SPEA congratulates new faculty members Beth Gazley and Sergio Fernandez, both IUB, who graduated from the University of Georgia on December 18, each with a Ph.D. in public administration.

Earl R. Jones, IUN, has been invited to return to the University of Oxford to speak at the Oxford Round Table devoted to the educational issues regarding at-risk children. Last year Jones presented the Chair’s Response: “Factors Affecting the Educational Attainment of at Risk Youth.” This year’s Round Table will give specific attention to areas such as the demographics of poverty and educational disadvantage and impoverished areas of cities and the widening gap between rich and poor and the increasing educational burden of the schools. Jones is one of 40 advocates of at risk children who are invited to this session of the Round Table. The Round Table was established as a colloquium for small groups of academics, and governmental and business leaders to engage in discussions that affect states and nations. Alumni of Round Tables include ministers of education, legislators, governors, corporate business leaders, university presidents, professors, lawyers, physicians, and other professionals.

Anna Badkhen conducted a telephone interview with Bob Kravchuk, IUB, for the San Francisco Chronicle, December 17, 2004, concerning the ongoing controversy over the disputed 2004 Ukrainian presidential election.

Les Lenkowsky, IUB and IUPUI, was featured in a segment on Fox News’ “The Bill O’Reilly Show,” which aired January 12, as part of O’Reilly’s discussion on U.S. charities, and the generosity of Americans in general.

John Mikesell and Kurt Zorn, both IUB, have been selected for a David Lincoln Fellowship by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy for their work on “Land Value Taxation to Support Local Government in Russia: A Case Study of Saratov Oblast.” The David C. Lincoln Fellowships in Land Value Taxation (LVT) were established in 1999 to develop academic and professional interest in this topic through support for major research projects. The fellowship program honors David C. Lincoln, chair of the Lincoln Foundation and founding chair of the Lincoln Institute, and his long-standing interest in LVT. The program encourages scholars and practitioners to undertake new work in this field either in the basic theory of LVT or its applications. These research projects will add to the body of knowledge and understanding of LVT as a component of contemporary fiscal systems in countries throughout the world. Additional information can be found at http://www.lincolninst.edu/pubs/pub-detail.asp?id=993.

Flynn Picardal, IUB, has been named to the editorial board of the journal, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.